Cap-block.



C. S. SCHWARZ.

CAP BLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I8, |918.

1,282,640.. Patented 001:. 22, 1918.

Conrad S. Schwur? CONRAD S. SCHWARZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAP-BLOCK.

Application filed .T une 18, 1918.

To all lL12/tom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD S. SCHWARZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at 117 N. th street, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cap-Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

The inventionrelates to caps and hats and has for an object to provide a block for blocking caps and hats, and all forms of headgear. A

The invention is particularly adapted for blocking caps such as are used by officers in the service, namely, the white flat-topped caps made of duck, and which after being cleaned must be shaped or blocked in order to bring them back tothe desired form.

I am aware that various forms of cap and hat blocks have been used heretofore, but I aim to employ a block which can be cheaply manufactured, and which is not only adapted for cleaning establishments, but can be used by persons not skilled in the art, so that they can clean their own caps and block and dry them on my form of block in a short space of time, and with the least amount of trouble.

In the further disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the block.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the block on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view taken through the locking device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation of a portion of the locking device.

Fig. 5 is a slightly modified form of block, showing the same in side elevation, and

Fie. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 6*(3 of Fig. 5.

Referring more particularly to the views, the block consists of a circular body 10, preferably formed ofv a sheet metal platewhich is bent in a circular or cylindrical shape, and has its ends 11 overlapping, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a portion 12 ofthe body being flared slightly outward and upwardly, with another portion lextending substantially vertically, the steel plate having its upper edge liared out as at 14, to form what might be termed a rim. rlhis particular shaping of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented (1ct. 22, 1918.

Serial No. 240,601.

the bodyis for the purpose of accommodating hats of otlicers in the service, as nieutioned heretofore. Formed with the steel plate forming the body, is an upper lip 15 and a lower lip 16, said lips being bent over to form guides, the lips being formed on the steel plate adjacent one end thereof, and by the overlapping formation being adapted to receive the other end of the plate, so as to hold the plate in a circular' position, and permit of reducing the diameter of the body by simply sliding the overlapping ends into greater overlapping engagement with each other, the mentioned lips 15 and 16 forming guides, being adapted to guide the overlapping inner end of the body around the inside of the overlapping outer portion of the body. The inner overlapping end has a series of teeth 17 struck therefrom, as shown in Fig. 3, and the outer overlapping end has a series of openings 18 formed therein, as shown in Fig. 3, the space between the inner and outer overlapping ends being sufficient to permit of sliding the ends relative to each other, and when they are moved close together, as shown in Fig. 3, the teeth 17 will project into the openings 18 and lock the ends against further movement, thus holding the body to the desired diameter, it being understood that the metal from which the body is preferably made, naturally tends to move the overlapping ends apart and flatten out, if it were not held in a circular position.

With the construction mentioned, it will be seen that by simply pressingupon the periphery of the body, the teeth 17 will be moved out of the openings 18 and the diameter of the body can then be reduced. Upon relieving' the pressure on the periphery, the tendency of the inner overlapping end tospring back and outwardly, will cause the teeth 17 to extend into the openings 18 and abut against the sides 19 of the openings, thereby holding the body to the desired diameter. To effect this it will of course be necessary to have the space between the outer overlapping end and the free edges of the lips sufiiciently wide to accommodate the inner overlapping end, and still leave enough space so that the inner and outer overlapping ends can be spaced apart when the body is collapsed to a smaller diameter.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I show a slightly modified form of my invention, and in which instead of showing the toothed locking arrangement, shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4C, I provide a plurality of slots` 20 in the inner overlapping end, and have screws 2l secured by their heads in the outer overlapping end and passing inwardly through the slots 20, with mits 22 threaded on to the stems of the screws 21, so that when the nuts are tightenedL up they will bear against the inner face of the inner overlapping end and secure the same frictionally against the inner face of' the outer overlapping end, thus holding the body to the desired diameter, and against the natural tendency of the body to spread apart and assume a lilat position, due to the inherent spring-lile action el? the meta-l from which the'body is made.

As mentioned heretofore, l aim by provision of this device to provide a block in which the body portion consists oi a single piece of material, Which normally flat when in Stock forni, can be bent around in cylindrical form and have the endg overlapping, and of which parte of the sides oi the piece of material can be flared outwardly to bring about the desired configuration for the blocking of caps, particularly the caps ot oflicers in the Navy, although it will be understood of course that l do not limit myself to a metal construction, and that some .other material may he employed which has Leseio struction, can be readily collapsed to a smaller diameter, so that service hats can be fitted over the top, and then upon eXp-anding the diameter, the hat will be snugly and firmly held in place so that it can be dried upon the block and assume its proper shape. rllhe block may also be employed for purposes of holding the hat during the clean ing operation, as Well as dryingI and blocking the hat after the cleaning operation.

I claim:

l. is a new article ot' manufactm-e, a cap block comprising a single piece of material having an inherent spring-like tendency to lie flat, said piece of material being bem" in a cylindrical form, and adjusting mecha nism for holding said cylindrical-bent piece 'of material in said cylindrical form.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a cap block comprising a sheet of spring-like material bent from its normal shape into a cylindrical term, and adjusting and loch-- ing` mechanism for decreasing the diameter of the cylindrical form and holding the same from spreading apart.

3. is a. new article oit' manufacture, acap block comprising a sheet of material having an inherent springlilre tendency to lie flat, said piece of material being bent in cylindrical form with the ends thereof oiferlapping each other, means for holding said cylindl-i, cal-bent piece of material in said cylindrical form, and a guide formed by extending a portion of one of the ends around and behind the other end, for guiding one ci' said overlapping ends relative to the other.

In testimony whereof l my signature.

CONRAD S. SCHWARZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

